Change
by batman-defeats-all
Summary: Red X knows that time travel is complicated. He's been through it. But when three little birdies from the future, and his present, come looking for him, things get a bit MORE complicated. Rated T for language.
1. Prologue

**I've been asked a few times to write a Jason is Red X story. Since it is my birthday, I felt generous, and wrote this as a prologue.**

**Plus... I wanted to get my own theory out there.  
**

**I do not own Teen Titans.  
**

Time travel is a tricky thing.

Actually doing it is a lot more complicated then movies and TV shows make it seem to be. Sure, if you have the time machine for yourself, then you can just jump back into your car or TARDIS or whatever after some adventure then go back to whenever you want, but it is rarely taken into consideration if the method of traveling through time was more a forced action then a choice.

Like, say, battling some weird guy in a futuristic-looking costume with some weird ray gun on patrol one night, and him managing to get a shot at you. Instead of falling backwards into the dirty Gotham snow like you're expecting, you are then sent backward in time.

Back a good ten years by the newspaper you managed to snag from some booth, and not even in Gotham anymore. No, you're suddenly in _Jump Freaking City_.

To say the least, I was not particularly happy when this happened to me.

Being the flexible guy that I am, though, it didn't take long for me to figure out a plan of action. Getting an apartment is obviously the first step, since I'll need somewhere to live until I figure a way back to the normal day and age. Once I found some cheap place that didn't ask questions, I would have to keep my costume there, or my helmet at least, since I did not currently have any other clothes on me. I can't exactly go out in a city populated with teen heroes (including the Golden Boy) as a vigilante that doesn't even exist yet.

Those steps were easy. After that, though, things got a bit... tougher.

I would have to get a job, since I only had a minuscule amount of money on me went I got sent back, and I already spent that getting an apartment. If I wanted to keep the damn thing, I would have to work a bit.

Any jobs that weren't for psycho villains, though, asked questions that I couldn't exactly answer.

I had to do _something_, obviously, so I dug a bit into the talents of my past (or future, technically...). Vigilantism... Doesn't exactly pay the bills. Pissing Bats and my so called 'siblings' off... I don't think the Demon Brat was even born yet, the Replacement is a little kid, and it'd be best to stay away from Bats...

And annoying Golden Boy didn't have any profit.

I couldn't quite drop the idea, though. It wasn't long before I remembered a story Grayson had told me about his Titan years. About a guy who stole a dangerous suit and used it to steal money and such, and how they never figured out who it was.

The costume name was 'Red X'. Oddly similar to my usual identity. Added on to the fact that I used to be a pretty good thief in my youth... Well, it was a bit eerie.

They never knew who the X dude was... So why couldn't it have been me?

Dickie Bird's passwords are always so predictable (_barbara_? Really, Grayson? Do you _want_ to be stolen from?), so it wasn't hard to get the costume.

It wasn't long before I was Red X, the cunning thief and resident pain in the ass of the Teen Titans.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy for me... Something just had to go wrong...

Oh, did I forget to tell you all who I am?

The name's Jason Todd. And I am Red X.


	2. Chapter 1

**Well... This was really fun to write. While the last chapter was in first person, Jay's point of view, this is in third person. The 'future' is a combo of pre- and post-reboot DC universe.**

**I do not own Teen Titans or any other DC property.  
**

Dick knew getting obsessed with a single topic was not the best idea. Anytime that he had let this happen in the past always ended... badly, to say the least.

He thought he a right to get just a bit obsessed about this; it involved his little brother, after all.

Jason had been missing for two months now. At first, he'd assumed that the younger man was in one of his moods; that he was so angry at Bruce that he just left for a few weeks. That he would be back soon to keep driving their adopted father near insane with his violent tendencies.

When he didn't show up after a month, though, Dick got a bit worried.

Since no one else seemed to be as interested in where the anti-hero was (Well, Tim kind of wanted to know, but told Dick that Jason could take care of himself and dismissed the subject), Dick started to lead a private investigation.

The first step in said investigation was quite clear to the acrobat; ask his brilliant hacker girlfriend to help out.

_"Oh Barbara..." Dick drawled out as he entered the woman's office._

_ "I'm a bit busy at the moment, Dick," she responded, not even turning from the computer screen to see who it was._

_ "I just need to ask a favor of you, Babs..."_

_ Sighing and rolling her eyes, Barbara Gordan turned her wheelchair around quickly to face Dick._

_ "What would that be?"_

_ Dick's response flooded out quickly, his mouth seeming to move a mile a minute._

_ "Well, Jason's been gone for a month, which honestly isn't really that long, but usually he has some appearance every few weeks. He wouldn't answer when I tried to call him, and actually doesn't often, but he always answers to yell at me to stop bothering him if I keep at it long enough, and I kept calling for five straight hours, but there was no response, and-"_

_ "You want me to try to find out where Jason was last seen, and preferably by who, correct?" she interrupted the ranting hero swiftly._

_ "Heh... Yeah, pretty much."_

_ Barbara stop a moment to consider the request. A month really wasn't the longest time, and even while not being particularly fond of the Red Hood, she knew the anti-hero could protect himself. This could easily be brushed off as Dick overreacting._

_ He seemed so scared, though. If he had spent five hours just trying to call Jason, then he was obviously determined to make sure the younger boy was alright... She could spare an hour or two of her time doing a little research._

_ "Fine. But just for you, Boy Wonder."_

_ A large smile now radiating on his features, Dick leaned over and planted a kiss on Barbara's forehead._

_ "Thanks, Babs! Just call me once you've got the info!"_

He received the call three week later, and was told that Jason had been last seen a week after when Dick had lost any contact with him, with Arsenal and Starfire.

Of course, that meant he would have to go talk to the two to ask them about what Jason had last been doing.

He would have to go talk to his ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend.

It was an awkward, yet completely necessary, experience.

_Finding them honestly was not really challenging; actually, Barbara flat out told him where they were currently. That didn't mean that when he found himself a few tables away from Roy and Kory at a cafe, it was was going to be any easier to pluck up the courage and actually talk to them. _

_ The two were laughing, chatting, holding hands... and very clearly on a date._

_ Dick could not think of a worst way to interrupt a date then simply being an ex-boyfriend. Who had almost gotten married._

_ While he was sitting there, extremely nervous, the situation somehow managed to get even worse._

_ "... Richard?" Kory called out, a single eyebrow raised. Dick felt panic kick in, and tried to pretend he didn't hear her and was reading the newspaper, but Roy soon saw him also._

_ "Is that Dick?" Getting out of his seat, Roy walked over to Dick's table, looking over the newspaper at the young man trying to hide his terror. "It it! Nice to see you! Mind if Kor and I join you?"_

_ A shaky, clearly fake smile was all Dick could produce as the to red-heads sat at his table._

_ "So, what brings you to Central City?" Roy asked, leaning back in his chair._

_ "Umm... I was thinking about maybe... visiting Wally..." Dick stammered out. Roy's large smile that followed did not help his nerves._

_ "Hey Kor and I were doing the same thing! How 'bout we go together and surprise the speedster?"_

_ Dick didn't have time for an unplanned trip to see Wally. He needed to just get to the point._

_ "Okay, that actually isn't exactly what I am here for... I came to talk to you guys."_

_ Both Roy and Kory looked confused at the statement._

_ "But how could you have known we were he-" Roy started, only to be interrupted._

_ "Babs."_

_ "Why exactly did you have Miss Gordan look up where we were?" Kory demanded, slight anger in her voice._

_ "... I... well... I need to ask you guys about when you last saw Jason."_

_ They both, once again, looked surprised._

_ "You're... looking for Jason?" Roy asked._

_ Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, Dick answered._

_ "Yeah... And according to Barbara's research, which you both know is pretty much never wrong, you guys were the last ones to see him before he went missing about two months ago. I just wanted to see if you guys knew anything about what he was doing."_

_ While Roy didn't seem to know exactly what to say, Kory did._

_ "When we last saw Jason, we were in Gotham to see the New Years Day celebration together. He thought he saw someone suspicious in one of the alleys, and told us to go on. While he didn't come back afterwards, he often goes off without informing us, so while we looked around, we assumed he was merely busy. Is this not the case?"_

_ Running a hand through his hair, Dick sighed._

_ "It doesn't seem like it. Is that all you guys saw?"_

_ When they both nodded, Dick stood up._

_ "Thanks, then. It was nice seeing you two, even under the circumstances. I don't really get to see the other Titans that often... I do have a question before I go, though."_

_ Roy looked a bit curious._

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "When did you both start hanging out with Jay?"_

_ There was a moment of awkward silence._

_ "... We've been sort of a... non-team for awhile..."_

_ Shrugging, Dick started walking off._

_ "Okay. Cool. I'll tell you guys when I find him."_

_ "Thank you, Richard,"_

While he definitely had a lot more information after the meeting, he was left with many mysteries as well.

He was pondering the mysterious figure Jason had supposedly seen before vanishing when a yell disrupted his thoughts.

"Grayson! As Father is currently of on League business, I require your assistance on patrol."

"I'll be in costume in a second, Damian," he yelled to the child, closing his research on the Batcomputer.

"I'll join you as well, seeing as I have nothing else to do," Tim added, entering the cave already in costume.

"_Tt_. If you must, Drake."

Rolling his eyes at his youngest brothers' behaviors, Dick quickly got into costume, and the three were soon swinging through Gotham.

"Oracle, anything going on tonight that we know of?" Nightwing asked over his communicator as they stood on a rooftop.

"There is a transaction with the Penguin across town, but I have Batgirl covering that," Dick was about to groan in annoyance and boredom when he was interrupted. "Wait, there is a robbery going on at the museum. Since you three are rather close right now, you should make it in time to stop it."

The three Robins were already off at the words.

"Anyone we know doing it?"

"No one we've fought, but according to this database I'm on, he's been hitting Gotham locations for a couple months now. I'm not sure how we didn't notice him."

"Got a description?"

"Has a black beard and mustache, rather thick eyebrows, wears some golden helmet and chest piece with a light blue circle at the center. Ring any bells from your Titan days?"

They arrived as the question was asked, only to find the crook nowhere in sight. As Red Robin and Robin looked around, clearly annoyed, Nightwing could only feel shock.

"Y-yeah. It... does."

Cutting the communication, Nightwing turned to the two younger heroes.

"I-I need to go back to the cave. Do you guys think you can go on without me?"

They both looked at him oddly.  
"Why do you need to go back to the cave?"

"I... think I found some more info on Red Hood's disappearance. Since I'm really the only one that thinks it is necessary to worry about this, you can go on with patrol-

"If you truly believe you have found fact in the Red Hood's whereabouts, and would possibly require assistance, then I at least am willing to help, and I assume Red Robin is as well. Batgirl is out tonight, and has Oracle giving her orders so her incompetence shouldn't show too much."

While Red Robin initially glared at Robin for the insult towards Batgirl, he soon responded to the message itself.

"What the Demon is saying is if you've found Hood, then we're willing to help if you think he's in trouble."

"... Yeah, if I'm right, he is kind of in a different time..."

"... Wow. I... never thought of that possibility."

"_Tt_. Typical Todd."


	3. Chapter 2

**My sister is going to be at a big Irish dance competition all weekend. She left this morning.**

**I already miss my little Robin...  
**

**In order to cheer myself up without the Damian Wayne to my Dick Grayson, I decided to update this.  
**

**While cuddling with my Robin plushie.  
**

**... I miss my sister...  
**

**I do not own Teen Titans. Or, since it is mentioned briefly in the chapter, Doctor Who.  
**

Damian started speaking as soon as they reentered the cave.

"What exactly makes you think that Todd is in a different time?"

Dick answered as he threw his mask off and ran towards the computer.

"According to Babs, the guy who robbed the museum, and has been at it for a few months, follows the exact description of a criminal I fought with the Titans. A criminal that had come from the future with the help time-travel technology."

"What does this have to do with Todd?"

"Well, according to what I heard from Roy and Kory, who were the last people who saw Jason, they were in Gotham when he saw someone in an alley and pursued said person."

As Tim and Damian looked at the research Dick pulled up on the screen, the older of the two boys rose an eyebrow.

"Why do you assume Jason ran into this time-travel guy?"

"It is the only lead I have."

As Dick started searching for more information, he filled Tim and Damian in on what he already knew.

"The guy is named Warp. We had a few run-ins with him, including him accidentally sending Kory twenty years into the future and him messing with my history."

"Messing with your history? How?"

"He traveled back to when my parents died and took me in before Bruce did. Apparently I was his protégé until the future version of me that Kory met went back to fix everything."

"Apparently? Wouldn't you know?"

"No. I had no memory of the situation. I had to be told by the other Titans later on."

Growling slightly, Dick turned away from the computer and to his brothers behind him.

"From what I can tell, he's just been doing the same gig he did when we first faced him; stealing artifacts from the present to sell for much more in the future. I can't find anything about his current technology or anyone he's fought recently."

"Well, what's the plan, then?"

"I need to talk to Gar. Since he's leading the current Titans, maybe he knows something about what Warp has been doing recently."

Dick stood up, a light smile on his face.

"You guys up for a trip to California?"

The Batjet was a rather quick vehicle. Even so, it was a few hours before the skyline of Jump City, California, came into sight.

It had been three hours of torture for Damian. He didn't like the Titans. At all. The fact he was stuck in a jet with Grayson and, worse, Drake, heading to location he didn't even like, was not making him very happy.

And he made sure the jet's other occupants knew that.

"Why must you speak to Logan in person? Could you not have merely used that Titan communicator you still have?"

"We've had those things hacked in the past. This is rather sensitive information, Damian, so it would be best to ask in person."

Damian started glaring out the window, his arms crossed.

"_Tt._ The city will be in ruins by the time we get back with only Brown defending it."

Tim was glaring fiercely at the child only seconds later.

"I'm sure Steph will be fine on her own! It also helps that it was a quiet night to begin with."

"Brown will somehow manage to create trouble all by herself. That is how incompetent she is."

"That is awful logic, Demon."

"How? She has started a gang war by herself in the past."

Tim stood up quickly, anger and hatred engulfing his features, when Dick suddenly spoke.

"Would you two just stop it? We're here; please don't kill each other in front of the Titans. Tim, I know for a fact you don't want to look too immature in front of _your_ friends."

While they were both quiet as they exited the jet and walked onto the roof of Titans Tower, the two were stilling glaring at each other.

Almost immediately, Gar was on the roof, a large smile on his face.

"Dick! Why didn't you tell me you were coming over?"

The young man smiled back at his old friend, doing his best to ignore his younger brothers' anger.

"It was a bit of a last minute decision. I just need to ask you a few questions. Is there anywhere Tim and Damian could hang out while we talk?"

"What? Grayson, I demand that I at least stay with you while you speak with Logan!"

"I'll tell you both the info afterwards, Damian. I need to speaking to Gar privately, though."

The shape shifter thought for a moment before answering the initial question.

"I'm sure the rest of the team wouldn't mind them joining in on training time. I assume they both know where the gym is?"

"Of course we do, Logan," Damian growled out as he passed the young man, stalking into the tower, Tim directly behind him.

"Anywhere we talk then, BB?" Dick asked once they were gone, falling into his old speaking pattern from when the Titans had been only five teenagers banning together.

"Your old study is still open."

They were soon in the room, which left Dick with a feeling of nostalgia. Nothing had been changed since when he had last used the room, years ago now. The same articles about Slade hanging all over the wall, the same organized clutter throughout the whole room...

"What was it you wanted to ask?"

Shaking his head slightly, Dick focused again on the task at hand.

"Have you guys fought Warp recently?"

Garfield's face wrinkled up in thought.

"Yeah... Why? Has he shown up in Gotham at all?"

"He has, actually, but we didn't know until recently. I needed to know if he has had any advancements in technology, any new goals, anything different then we've seen in the past."

"Why?"

Breathing slightly, Dick answered.

"The Red Hood has been missing for two months, and we have some reason to believe it might have been Warp."

Slight understanding appeared on the younger man's face.

"That... would explain why he's been mentioning how disrespectful the youth of today are. I just thought he had been hanging around Mad Mod..."

"Well?"

"He has some laser thing that, from what villain rants he said while pulling the thing out, can teleport whatever it hits anywhere in space and time, and that he can choose the location."

"... So, he has a TARDIS laser?"

"... Pretty much, yeah."

Dick started walking towards the door.

"That's all I needed. Thanks, Gar. We should go get Tim and Damian before they hurt something... or someone."

One rather swift walk later, they were at the entrance of the gym. And cold already hear the yelling.

"Robin, if you are going to use the training trapeze, you should really have a net."

"Grayson doesn't use one, Sandsmark."

"Damn it, Demon, Dick is a trained acrobat!"

Dick hesitantly entered the gym to see Tim and Wonder Girl speaking to Damian, who was standing on one of the platforms of his old practice trapeze.

"Damian, get down here. We are about to leave."

The child was next to him in mere seconds.

"_Tt._ Finally."

Just as they started moving towards the door, however, the alarm sounded out throughout the tower. Gar ran to a nearby computer screen, and turned towards the three.

"Well, if you want to find out if it was Warp that caused Hood's disappearance, he's breaking into the museum right now."


	4. Chapter 3

**Oh man, this story is really fun to write...**

**I do not own Teen Titans or any other DC properties.  
**

It was not at all difficult to find Warp. In fact, he seemed to be waiting for the Titans when the heroes all gathered around the villain.  
He seemed awfully amused to see Nightwing, Red Robin, and Robin standing among the team.

"Well, it seems birds must enjoy my company," the time traveler laughed out.

"Wait... did you just flat out admit you fought Red Hood, without us even asking?" Nightwing asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"... Yes."

"That certainly crosses one task off the list..."

With the young adult distracted, Warp fired a laser he was holding at Nightwing. The acrobat quickly flipped out of the way, narrowly avoiding the ray.

"Where did you send Hood, Warp?"

The villain ignored the question, instead trying to fire at Superboy and Red Robin, who were both dodging the blasts easily. Robin rolled his masked eyes before throwing a Batarang directly at the man's shoulder, gaining his attention.

"Nightwing asked you what happened to Red Hood, filth," the boy growled out.

Warp rubbed his now-aching shoulder, glaring at Robin.

"Perhaps Mad Mod is right about children disrespecting their elders..." he mused.

"That neither relevant or even accurate, as you were born hundreds of years after myself."

"... Touché."

Using the conversation to his advantage, Red Robin used Superboy as a launching point, jumping next to Warp, his bo staff soon underneath the criminal's chin.

"Answer the question," he demanded, a fierce scowl on his face.

Annoyance took over Warp's features, but they were soon replaced with a wicked smile.

"Well, you do know the best way to answer a question... is by showing instead of telling," he whispered as the laser in his hand was pointed directly at Red Robin's abdomen, the blast hitting him just as surprise was able to engulf his features. The air suddenly seemed to be filled with an odd mist. When the mist cleared, Warp stood smugly, a certain teenaged-hero absent from where he was standing only seconds before.

"Red!" Nightwing screamed out, staring at where his brother had been before turning towards the villain that caused his disappearance, a snarl firmly in place.

"Where did you send him?"

"Why, Nightwing," Warp started, a smug smirk still present. "Exactly where he wanted to go. Aren't you looking for your missing ex-Robin?"

Robin stomped up to a spot directly next to Nightwing.

"Where the hell did you send them?"

Warp laughed.

"How about I show you both also?"

It most likely wasn't the best idea to be so close to each other, because when the blast unexpectedly (though, admittedly, they should have seen that one coming) came at them, it simply hit them both at the same time.

Dick could hear Beast Boy screaming his name as the world as he currently knew it faded away.

Only for him to suddenly fall on top of Tim, Damian following behind him.

"Ouch, I just sit up and suddenly you two are on top of me!"

"Sorry, Tim..." Dick whispered, rolling off his teen brother as Damian crawled a few feet away.

"Where, and I suppose when, are we?" the boy asked, crouched next to a wall in the alley they fell into.

Just as Dick was about to answer, voices could be heard from just around the corner.

"This is where the mysterious mist was reported, correct?"

"Yeah. Anyone have guesses on what that was?"

"Do you think it was aliens? I bet it was aliens!"

"That wouldn't be the most unrealistic idea, for once, seeing as we have an 'alien' on our team."

"Oh, yeah..."

"Team, pay attention! We're just about to find out what it was."

Dick suddenly grew pale as he recognized each voice.

"I am near certain that I know when and where we are," he whispered quickly to the two younger boys.

"When-" Tim started, only to be interrupted by the sight of the original Teen Titans being visible at the entrance to the alley. "... Oh."

"Whoa, who are those guys?" Beast Boy asked, looking around Raven to get a better look at the three.

"I think they should answer that," the team's Robin stated, his bo staff already in hand. Seeing the weapon, however, only caused Dick to groan.

"Ugh, I'd forgotten I used to use a bo staff... I _sucked_ with that thing..."

"What?" the teenager asked, his masked eyes narrowing. "Who are you, and what are you even talking about?"

"If I ever knew this was going to happen, I would have made my hairstyle exactly that of the Nightwing you guys met... even if it also sucked..."

"What?"

"Warp really isn't a fun guy to fight..." Dick stated, the entire team's eyes widening as what he meant sunk in.

"Wait, so you're Nightwing? As in future Robin?" Cyborg asked, trying to get a full grasp on what was happening.

"I would say _I _am 'future Robin', you fool. Nightwing is merely the adult _your_ Robin grows to be. There is a world of a difference," Damian hissed out, obviously annoyed at the wording.

"Ignore Rob, essentially yes," Dick said, standing up as to speak more clearly.

"Who exactly are all of you, other than Nightwing?" Raven asked.

"That's Red Robin, who used to be the third Robin," Tim raised a hand when his name was spoken to signal it was him that Dick was referring to. "The one who got angry at you guys is the fifth and current Robin." Damian scowled at the team, clearly not very impressed.

"Third Robin? Fifth Robin?" the present-time Robin seemed shocked by the realization that his name would continue on. That is, until the actual numbers sunk in. "Wait, where are the second and fourth Robins, then?"

"Well, the fourth is actually currently Batgirl, and she's back in Gotham in our time. As for the second Robin... Looking for him was actually why we were fighting Warp to begin with. Which is also why it may not be the worst thing that we got sent back..."

"Huh?" Unsurprisingly, Beast Boy was confused. The others were also such, but they didn't show it verbally.

"We had reason to believe that the last person he fought was Warp, which was really determined as soon as we started fighting him, and when he asked where Hood was he said he'd show us, and suddenly we were here. So he's probably here too."

Robin nodded, though seemed confused on one thing.

"... Hood?"

"Oh, right, I never said his name... His hero... well, anti-hero identity is 'Red Hood'. You... haven't happened to see him, have you?"

"The only 'Red' we know of is the Red X," Starfire suddenly spoke up, causing Dick to look fully at her since they had come.

"Okay, I guess I kinda expected that... Of course, Hood isn't Red X... The only similarities are the names... and they both have a lot of attitude, I guess... and they both are smart enough to break into one of my old vaults... and they really have similar fighting styles, now that I think about it... and Hood used to be a thief before Bats took him in... and... they both like to make fun of me... and they are both anti-heroes... and..."

Dick stopped talking, realization on his face.

"I... may have just figured out who Red X is..."

As the Titans stared at him in slight shock, both Damian and Tim felt their foreheads hit their gloved hands.


	5. Chapter 4

**Bwaa, not my best.**

**I do not own Teen Titans or any other DC characters.  
**

It had been odd returning to Titans Tower in present day.

It was ever more eerie being inside the Tower during the days that he knew it.

Dick felt really rather uncomfortable as the Titans and Robins entered the tower. His old teammates, and his past self, kept giving scrutinizing glances to him and his companions. As for his brothers themselves, they kept looking at him questioningly, obviously not sure how they were supposed to interact with the teen heroes.

"I need to speak with you, Nightwing," the Titan's Robin stated almost as soon as they entered. Dick nearly flinched at the demanding tone. He had tried to forget how serious he used to take himself.

"Alright, where do you wanna talk?" he asked, though he was almost certain he already knew the answer.

"My-Our study."

Of course.

"Alright. Where you Red and Rob go?"

"_Tt. _With you, of course."

"No," the older Robin denied the boy. "It would be more efficient if the other Titans gave them a tour of the tower."

"We know the tower!" Tim exclaimed, annoyance lacing his voice.

"Do you know what it was like at this time?"

"...Parts had been renovated right before I joined the team..."

"Then you need a tour."

The two boys followed the team as Dick was left with his younger self. With a firm scowl in place, the teen lead Nightwing to the room where they had spent hours obsessing to the point of near madness on Slade, where so many cases were studied, where-

Dick honestly really hated that study by this point in his life. Before he left the Titans, he had barely used the thing, haunted by memories anytime he entered. Obviously, the Robin in front of him was not yet bothered by that.

When the door to the study closed, Robin turned fully towards his adult self.

"Why was there ever any more Robins?"

Though the question came suddenly, Dick was honestly not surprised by it. He had thought it many times in the past.

"You want to know why Bruce would just replace you like a common soldier, seemingly not caring just how important the title was to you, and just passing it on without a second thought?"

The teen's masked eyes widened a bit, but he eventually nodded hesitantly. Dick sighed, leaning against one of the walls, before answering, not even looking at Robin.

"By that point I... we had moved on from the title 'Robin'. As you know, the new gig was Nightwing, though the original costume was a bit different than the fashionable garbs you see here-"

"How so?"

"... Let's just say I was sort of into disco music at the time and something possessed me to incorporate that into the costume."

Robin looked a little weired out, but motioned him to go on.

"I was still pretty upset at Bruce, and Babs was busy with college most of the time at that point, so Bats was working alone most of the time. Even by that point, it was pretty clear he shouldn't be working alone if he wanted to stay at least sort of sane.

It was in this state of loneliness that he found a young boy detaching the wheels of the Batmobile. One sort-of kidnapping and adoption later, Jaybird was the new Robin."

Robin looked at him, puzzled.

"Jaybird?"

"His name's Jason, Jaybird is just a nickname for him,"

The teen took a minute to take the information in. He soon spoke, though, his voice oddly soft.

"How did you feel about Jason taking your spot?"

Dick winced at the question. He was not particularly proud of himself at his first time meeting Jay.

"... I was absolutely furious. I thought that it just showed that Bruce didn't care about me at all, that he say me as completely replaceable. No one was able to convince me otherwise for awhile, not even Alfie or Babs. But then..." Dick chuckled at the memory. "Then I got to know Jason a bit better. He was angry, headstrong, rude, and very clearly needed the position of Robin more than I ever did. It was a way for him to channel his anger, but even more than that, it was a way for him to feel needed. He hated being pushed into the background... I swear, he drove Vic and Rachel crazy wherever he visited the tower..."

Dick's reminiscing, happy expression sobered up quickly.

"It was how much he needed to be Robin that made what happened to him so much worse..."

Robin stood in attention, curiosity overcoming his expression.

"What happened?"

"Usually, I would say that I can't tell you because it would mess with the time line, but it's already screwed up beyond repair by this point..."

Dick took of his mask, and looked his younger self straight in the eyes.

"Jason was killed by the Joker. My little brother was brutally murdered, and I could do nothing to save him," he turned away, wiping a few stray tears from his eyes. "Damn it, Bruce never told me Jay was looking for his real mom... If I had been there, I could have helped, but I wasn't, and Jay died..."

"Wait- but you said that you were here looking for the second Robin?"

Dick turned back, wet tracks visible on his cheeks.

"He came back. He was different, definitely more violent, but my little brother came back. I just happen to suck at protecting him. Which is one of the reasons we're in this mess..."

Robin decided that moving on from that topic would be the best choice of action.

"How'd there end up being more Robins?"

Wiping the tears a final time, Dick stood up straighter, a small smile on his lips.

"Timmy actually really said it best. 'Batman needs a Robin.' He was a little genius kid, figured out who Bruce was, and noticed how violent Bats got after Jay... left. He just badgered Bruce until he agreed to training him."

"You mentioned the fourth Robin is currently Batgirl? As in there was a girl Robin?"

Dick chuckled awkwardly at the question.

"Tim couldn't be Robin for a little while due to... reasons, and she both had some experience with crime fighting as her own name 'Spoiler', and she was Tim's girlfriend. It... didn't end well. But she was pretty good when it lasted. Tim took back over until I had to be Batman because of... other reasons that I honestly hate talking about, and I thought that Damian, who is the current Robin, needed to learn to be a hero."

"How'd you meet that kid? He seems... well, no offense, but he seems like a bit of a brat."

Dick rolled his eyes.

"I love Dami, but even I will admit that saying a 'bit of a brat' may be understating it. He really doesn't know better most of the time, and he has gotten so much better than when Talia first dropped him off..."

Robin looked slightly horrified.

"Why would _Talia _drop a kid off? Was he some weird assassin kid that she was trying to ruin Bruce with?"

Dick had to stifle a laugh.

"Well, yeah, he sort of was. However, she had a reason for choosing him; Dami is Talia and Bruce's son."

Robin's gaping mouth was honestly really amusing.

"So... There is an assassin son of Bruce and _freaking Talia_ in my tower?"

"Dami is our little brother. Be nice."

"Apparently Red X is too, and he sure doesn't 'play nice'..."

"... Jay... Well, I think he honestly enjoys being a jerk sometimes."

Dick stuck his mask back on.

"Should we go relieve the team of my... our disgruntled little brothers that, forgot to mention this, _really, really despise each other_?"

Robin paled, then nearly dashed out the door as he went to make sure no one was injured. Dick rolled his eyes as he followed.


	6. Chapter 5

**I do not own Teen Titans or any related characters. DC does. Dc owns it allll...**

Robin stayed back a few feet as he watched Nightwing, his older self, approach the two younger heroes, a large grin on his face. The man placed an arm around the shoulder of each boy, leaning into them.

"So, how was the tour?"

The teen, who Robin quickly recalled from his conversation was named 'Tim', looked at Nightwing, annoyed, while he answered.

"The tower is resoundingly _exactly the same_."

"... We liked the design of the tower. When it was renovated, we just fixed up stuff that was damaged..."

The new Robin glared at Nightwing.

"We went through that ridiculous tour to find out the only difference is that there are more empty rooms and the memorial hall hasn't been built yet."

Raven rose an eyebrow from her spot with the other Titans near the couch at the words. Beast Boy, however, just looked a the boy oddly.

"Memorial hall? Why would we need a memorial hall?"

Nightwing looked a little panicked suddenly, while Red Robin glared at the young boy, who crossed his arms and looked away.

"A m-memorial hall? Well, there are a lot of reasons to have one-"

"It's to fallen Titans," Raven didn't even ask, but stated it quietly.

"... Pretty much, yeah. Titans and family of Titans...We really started that up so Arsenal's daughter could be properly remembered..."

"Who?"

"... It's nothing. Just... this is a dangerous business. And.. well, people get hurt..."

An odd silence fell over the room, only to be broken by Robin stepping forward.

"So, you three need to find Red X?"

Nightwing quickly regained his smile, nodding.

"What do you plan to do once you've found him, though?"

The young man opened his mouth to answer, only to close it when he realized he didn't have an answer.

"Well, I'm sure if we contact Bats he could get the League to help out... I know they've done time travel before, so it shouldn't be too hard for them to get us back..."

While Robin's expression did harden a bit at the mention of Batman, he still nodded in agreement.

"So, how do you plan to find Red X?"

"... Wander around the city until we find him?"

"_Tt. _Oh, that is an absolutely _brilliant _plan, Grayson."

"Shut up, Damian."

Robin nearly rolled his eyes at the behavior, but managed to stop himself. Tim did not do as such, and even sighed rather loudly.

"You could join us as we return to patrol..."

Damian was already walking past him.

"Finally, something with some _purpose _to do..."

The others followed behind them silently, and they were soon on the streets of Jump City.

~~~~Line break~~~~~

It really, really sucks when there's a mouse in your already run down apartment.

I don't know where the damn thing came from, but I spent the next couple of hours crawling around, looking underneath everything, trying to figure out where the hell it _went_.

It was as I was about to just give up and maybe watch TV that I happened to look out the window and saw the Titans.

At first, this seemed pretty normal; since I didn't live in the best part of town, the heroes went by my window decently often. They didn't know what I looked like, so I never really put any thought into it.

However, who was with them nearly made me fall over in surprise. Because I'm pretty sure that seeing the Golden Boy in a Nightwing costume, the Replacement, and the Demon Brat are not normal occurrences when you're about eight years from that point.

My mind told me that it would be best to just ignore them and continue on with my night. It was unlikely they knew, or would even care if they did, that I was there. And as long as I didn't draw attention to myself, they wouldn't have to know. They probably just had a run in with the same guy as me anyway; they could just call in Bats to get them back home without thinking of how he might respond to them. They were not my problem...

Of course, I'm not that good at listening to my mind. I was in the Red X costume and following after them in minutes.

Once I got close, I stayed back, hidden by the shadows, and decided to just listen for a few minutes.

"This town is pathetically uneventful," I had sort of forgotten how annoyed Damian could get at pretty much everything, including there being not enough crime for him to stop.

"Rob, that's a good thing." Of course Dick was the one to just flat out say little crime was a good thing to the kid.

"He's just upset he doesn't get to beat anyone to a pulp," I was actually a bit surprised to hear the joking tone in Tim's voice. The kid seemed to always have a stick up his ass.

"_Tt. _Well, seeing as we have had no advancements in our actual goal-"

"He's been seen in this area of town many times, so this is a good bet." I never realized just how different this time's Dick's voice was than the tone I was used to. I knew he was a bit more serious, he was still angry with Bruce at that time, but I had just noticed to what extent.

"Well, he can't hide forever," The Golden Boy sounded oddly exhausted and worried. This voice, mixed with a conversation about finding some mystery person, made me ignore my better sense once again and slip silently out of the shadows. I had a voice changer, anyway; they couldn't possibly recognize me...

"Who can't hide forever?" I doubted how good an idea this was when, as everyone started staring at me, a grin grew on Dick's face.

"Jaybird!" Oh, damn it.

When the acrobat nearly threw himself at me for a hug, I swiftly dodged his outstretched arms.

"I have no idea who you think I am, or who you ever are-"

"Damn it, Jason, don't even try to pull this with me. You've been using that same hug-dodging move for years."

… Hell, I have.

"... How'd you know?"

I decided pretty quickly that I did not miss Dick's smug smirk. At all.

"Red _Hood_, Red _X. _You didn't really make it hard. Plus, you steal costumes all the time."

"Oh, I do not."

"Didn't you steal the Robin costume at first?"

"... The Replacement did too and you know it."

"Also, Joker was the original Red Hood. Oh, and there was that time you stole a Nightwing costume. Or when you tried being Batman. And Hush-"

"Okay, you can stop now."

Damian just started snickering, and only stopped when I glared at him.

"Excuse me?"

Both Dick and I quickly turned our heads when Starfire quietly spoke.

"Now that we have found the Red X, what is the plan of action?"

I was actually rather surprised to hear the question.

"Wait, you guys went back just to find me?"

Dick smiled awkwardly, nodding slowly.

"Do you know how to get back?"

"... I was thinking of maybe getting the Justice League's help.."

"And if they don't know how?"

"... We're screwed?"

"... Damn it, Golden Boy, you can be such an idiot..."

~~~Line break~~~~

Slade never gave up looking for an apprentice.

Yes, the situations with both Robin and Terra ended rather badly. That didn't really deter him, though. He was still rather convinced that Robin could still possibly be a contender if the situation is right.

Which is why he occasionally watched the Teen Titans. There were many security cameras in Jump City, and they were not difficult to hack. So, he could easily spy on them as they patrolled the city. He rarely saw anything of interest, though.

That night, however was different.

When three boys in hero costumes appeared from literally nowhere, he was rather intrigued. This went to full on obsession when he heard the conversation with the Titans.

The future generations of Robins? Well, of course that would interest him.

While he had always preferred his own Robin, the older version of him seemed to be.. well, different. The usual determination that was present in the masked eyes, while still there, seemed much... lighter.

Much happier.

The anger seemed to have drained from his being as he grew older, leaving a loving grin in its place.

Which was not at all what he wanted.

However, the other two did show promise. Anger, hatred (though it did seem to be directed at each other), and even more intelligence than the original shone in both of their eyes.

They would be perfect.

He paid no attention to the fact that there would be the Titans, the older Robin (he believed he was called Nightwing?), and apparently the new Red X, who was a time-traveling Robin as well, would be with the boys.

Nothing could stop him from getting what he wanted.

**You may be wondering when Slade is going to stop targeting younger Batkids in my stories...**

**The answer is NOT TODAY!  
**

**... Right.  
**


	7. Chapter 6

**I spent the entire train ride to Saint Louis finishing this chapter. I'm sorry it took so long, though.**

**I do not own Teen Titans or any related characters.**

The Teen Titans started heading back to the Tower, with my 'brothers' and I following a few yards back.

"Really, you guys came back _just _to find me? OR was that an afterthought?"

I still wasn't completely buying this. I pretty sure even _Dick_ is not that run by emotions...

"Ummm... It was only because of you..." Of course, I have been wrong before...

"_Tt_. We didn't actually _mean_ to get sent back. We were attempting to question Warp on your whereabouts, and he seemed to think sending us to the same place and time was the best answer..."

"Along with getting rid of three of the most experienced fighters in that particular battle." Tim finished the statement for Damian, gaining a glare from the kid.

… I had sort of forgotten how hilarious their fighting could be.

"Wait, who's 'Warp'?"

"Oh, he's the criminal that sent you back to begin with. I fought him a few times in my Titan days... He never had the weird TARDIS ray gun before, though..."

Okay, so _that_ was who sent me back... I would be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit curious, even after so long...

"So, why'd it take you guys so long to find me? Or did you just not realize I was gone?" Was there a slightly bitter tone is the second question? Yeah, but I thinking being stuck in the past for two years is a reason to be a bit upset.

"... What do you mean, 'so long'?" Dick looked honestly confused.

"I think two years is a bit long by any standards." Now they were all staring at me with shocked expressions...

"T-two _years?!_" Dick chocked out. "That... That's not right! You've only been missing two _months!_"

Tim suddenly swore quietly.

"Augh, this is _time travel_. We were sent two years later than he was..."

There was silence for a moment, before Dick spoke out, annoyance lacing his voice.

"Well, you know what... _Time travel sucks!_"

I snorted in response.

"You didn't have to tell me that, Goldie."

Dick's younger self stopped walking with the Titans, holding back to speak with the brothers trailing behind.

"We need to talk," he said sternly, glaring at me.

"Yeah, kid?" I responded, crossing my arms in front of me as I returned the glare.

"How exactly do you know for sure that this is the man you are looking for?" he directed his question directly at Nightwing, taking him by surprise.

"Well... He's acting like Jay."

Robin stared at him oddly.

"... He could be pretending, you know..."

Dick crossed his own arms.

"Well, I doubt anyone other than him would use the same nicknames."

I could tell that Tim was rolling his eyes behind his mask.

"I don't really know of anyone else who calls me 'Replacement'..."

I put an arm around Tim's shoulder, pulling him towards me, much to the teen's annoyance.

"Well, I was the only one you replaced, Babybird."

"This is definitely Jason," he deadpanned, not bothering to even attempt to get out of my hold.

"Someone could have found out how he usually acts and talks like and imitated it! You can't exactly know if he's using a voice changer and wearing a full face mask,"

How exactly did this always-suspicious kid grow up to be the trusting to a fault Dick Grayson I know?

"You want me to take off my mask? Sure, whatever."

I reached up with the arm that wasn't still holding Tim, pulling my mask, and the voice changer attached to it, off over my head.

"Happy now?" I asked as my black hair flopped onto my face.

"Jay! You stopped wearing a mask underneath your mask!" Dick outburst suddenly.

"So this is him?" Robin asked, still eying me suspiciously.

"Yes, this is Jason," Tim growled out. "Who I would greatly appreciate if he thought about maybe letting me go,"

Rolling my eyes, I released Tim, who straightened, huffing in annoyance.

"Thank you,"

Ignoring the kid-Dick's narrowed eyes, I turned to Nightwing.

"So, how much exactly does the mini-you know?" I asked, leaning against the top of Tim's head. The kid made a move to get me off, then froze, muttering something about 'not being worth it'.

"I told him... me a basic summary of the Robin progression..." he responded, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Did this summary explain how you went from being a tight ass to being... well, normal you?"

Dick's younger self's mouth dropped open.

"I-I'm not a tight ass! He's just way too laid back!"

Dick started staring at his counterpart as Damian chuckled quietly.

"No I'm not!" he sputtered out.

"The only time I've seen you act serious was when you were talking about someone _dying_, and you changed topics as soon as possible! It is nearly impossible to trust your judgments, since they are almost all completely based on emotions-"

"You seem to forget that I'm you," Dick interrupted in a cold voice. "As thus, I know all about you. A lot more than _you _know about _me. _And, let me say, while I may lean on my emotions sometimes, empathy is my main motivation. You? If I remember correctly, you're mainly motivated by anger and hatred."

The kid recoiled as if hit.

"Wha-What do you mean?"

"Your anger at Bruce. Your hatred of Slade and other criminals. That is what is driving you right now, not a love of helping others or worry for innocent people." The only times I had ever seen Dick get so upset was when Tim, Damian, or I were in danger. Or when he used to have fights with Bruce when I first became Robin...

"If you don't slow down and realize what is really important, your life is going to pass you by without you actually getting to enjoy it. That isn't living. That's how you become like Bruce," Silence rang out after Dick stopped speaking. He started walking faster afterwards, nearly storming off.

Watching him leave, I lifted my arm from Tim's head and turned to the teen.

"I'm going to go talk to him," Tim nodded, and I hurried after Dick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DooodeeeeDOOOOOOO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he watched Jason run off to speak with Dick, Tim realized that this left him with Damian and the angsty young Dick.

The angsty young Dick who had just been yelled at by his older self, and would most likely be rather testy now.

"Thanks, guys," he muttered under his breath as he watched his two older brothers walk ahead of them.

"Who does he think he is, telling me I'm acting like Bruce?" Robin growled, mostly to himself, but Tim and Damian could hear him perfectly fine as well.

"Perhaps you haven't noticed, but he is you." Damian quipped, his arms crossed.

"Yes, but... augh, you two wouldn't understand!" he started stomping forward, but Tim grabbed his arm before he could get very far.

"Why wouldn't we?" he asked firmly.

"A Batman fanboy and Bruce's real son? As if you two would know how much of a stubborn-"

"-a stubborn ass Father can be?" Damian interrupted, laughing bitterly. "Not know? As if it is not extremely obvious after speaking with him for only a few minutes!"

Robin blinked.

"... What?"

"What Damian's saying," Tim stepped forward. "is that Bruce doesn't get much better at patience and understanding. He tries, yeah, but... he's still himself."

"Grayson knows Father best; if he would compare himself to him, than there is definitely something behind what he is saying."

Robin was frozen for a moment, before suddenly stomping off to rejoin the Titans.

"... A bit of a stubborn ass, isn't he?" Damian asked.

"Yeah."

~~~~~~~~~~Dodododododoooooooooo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dick, what exactly just happened?" I asked upon catching up with him.

"I just forgot how much of jerk I was," he answered, glaring at his feet.

"Was that sort of response really necessary for him just being paranoid with a guy that had never really been the most trustworthy? I did steal your suit, dude."

Dick sighed, then turned to me with a sad expression.

"I worked so hard to just let this part of my life go, to try to forget it ever happened. I made so many mistakes, hurt so many people I wish I hadn't..." he shook his head. "This is just... reminding me. I wanted to put this behind me. Hell, the only thing left from this time period that can completely screw over my mental health is Slade!"

I hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, you know you change eventually, right?" Dick nodded slowly. "Well, then, let's just ignore the jerkiness of your past self and go back to Tim and Damian before they kill each other."

"... Good idea," Dick turned back to where we had left our two brothers, only to see no one there.

"... Did they start walking with the Titans?" I pondered out loud as Dick jogged over to the team.

"Have any of you seen Red Robin and Robin?" I heard him ask desperately as I walked away from them and towards where we last saw Tim and Damian.

"I left them back there..." Dick's younger self's voice rang out behind me as I nearly tripped on a circular object laying on the cement ground. Picking it up, I could feel the blood rushing from my face.

"Nightwing," I called out shakingly. "You might want to see this..."

He rushed over, and I placed the disc in his hand. I saw him pale as he recognized the insigna.

"S-Slade," he chocked out. "Slade."


End file.
